Iran | Executions in Shiraz, Sari, Karaj, Urmia, Qom

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 18, 2025: Ahmad Navabi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 13 November 2025. His identity has been established as 29-year-old Ahmad Navabi from Jahrom. He was arrested five years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.

According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 419 people including a juvenile offender and 19 women, were executed for murder charges, the highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 12% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2024, Iran Human Rights also recorded 649 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions. In the first ten months of 2025, at least 568 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Execution in Sari

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 17, 2025: Iraj Aghayi, an English teacher on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Sari Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Sari Central Prison on 13 November 2025. His identity has been established as Iraj Aghayi, a 30-year-old English teacher and language school owner who was from Rasht and lived in Sari. He was arrested around four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Iraj was arrested for 7 kilograms of heroin which he insisted belonged to someone else. He maintained his innocence and said: ‘I have a degree and have never even smoked a cigarette in my life. I am innocent of the charges I was convicted of.’”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population. At least 612 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first ten months of 2025.

Executions in Karaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 16, 2025: Mohsen Yarbeigi and Habib Namazi, two men on death row for murder, were executed in Karaj Penitentiary.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Karaj (Central Prison) Penitentiary on 2 November 2025. His identity has been established as Mohsen Yarbeigi who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Furthermore, another man was hanged at the prison on 9 November. He has been identified as Habib Namazi who was also on death row for murder.

Execution in Urmia

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 16, 2025: Zabeteddin Jangju, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Urmia Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Urmia (Darya) Central Prison on 14 November 2025. His identity has been established as Zabeteddin (Adel) Jangju, a 35-year-old Kurdish man from the village of Espi Dareh.

He was arrested around two years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Execution in Qom

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 15, 2025: Saber Fallah, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Qom Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Qom Central Prison on 12 November 2025. His identity has been established as Saber Fallah, a 33-year-old man from Malard in Tehran. He was arrested around two years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Saber was arrested for killing someone during a street fight in Qom. He said he was under the influence of alcohol. The judge told him: ‘You should be hanged ten times instead of once to cleanse your body.’”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, November 15-17, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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